How the ‘System’ Works Against Pet Food Consumers

Manufacturers, trade associations, veterinarians, pet store chains and even the regulatory system itself are all interwoven into a system where industry prevails and consumers (and their pets) struggle. The ‘system’ explained.

The image below briefly describes the largest manufacturers of pet food in the US. Take note of all the different companies these powerful pet food leaders own.

MARS Petcare is the top selling manufacturer, $17 billion in sales (2016). MARS brand Pedigree dog food is 11% of all dry dog food sold in the US. It is significant to note that MARS Petcare also owns the largest veterinary hospital chain in the US (Banfield). Nestle Purina is the #2 selling pet food manufacturer. Purina brand Beneful is 7% of US dry dog food sales, Purina One brand is 9% of US dry dog food sales. Purina also owns Pet Finder, the largest pet adoption website. Smucker’s entered the pet food business in 2015 purchasing Big Heart Brands from Del Monte. Smucker’s took an even larger share of the pet food industry with the purchase of Ainsworth Nutrition in 2018 (manufacturer of Rachael Ray Nutrish brand – 4% of US dry dog food sales).

Regulation of these pet food giants (and all pet food) falls on the shoulders of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and each State Department of Agriculture.

The FDA is tasked with enforcing federal law over pet food manufacturers, State Department of Agriculture state law. At this stage of the ‘system’ it is important for consumers to realize that the largest manufacturers of pet food have a certain amount of leverage with regulatory – especially State Department of Agriculture. That leverage is revenue. Each State Department of Agriculture is responsible for enforcing law – but their other responsibility is to promote ‘agriculture’ within their state.

The mission of the KDA Agricultural Marketing, Advocacy and Outreach Team is to serve all Kansans through innovative programming and delivering solutions designed to create an environment that facilitates growth and expansion in agriculture while increasing pride in and awareness of the state’s largest industry – agriculture.

Kansas Department of Agriculture is charged with both enforcing law over pet food AND “create an environment that facilitates growth and expansion” of pet food. It is certainly challenging for a regulatory authority to enforce law in pet food, while at the same time promoting the pet food industry.

Regulate/Promote

Kansas – and every other state that is tasked with ‘creating an environment that facilitates growth and expansion’ of pet food – cannot write laws that directly promote industry (such as pet food ingredient definitions that allow processed diseased animals and/or non-slaughtered animals)…but they can have others do the job for them.

In pet food, the solution to regulate/promote pet food is accomplished through the private organization Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). AAFCO writes the laws that State Department of Agriculture enforce, AAFCO also owns and copyright protects the legal definitions of all pet food ingredients (consumers have no public access). AAFCO pet food definitions allow the pet food industry to utilize waste (cheap) ingredients without disclosure to the consumer (promoting industry). Now, the ‘system’ looks like this…

But another influence plays a significant role in the regulation of pet food – that is industry trade associations. Below are the most influential trade associations in pet food…

The largest manufacturers of pet food are members of the various trade associations, and with that membership – pet food manufacturers are provided direct access to regulatory authorities (direct influence to alter/edit law). As example, AAFCO formed a working group to develop updates to pet food labels. A member of this Pet Food Label Modernization working group is MARS Petcare employee Jim Barritt.

Officially, a pet food manufacturer would not be allowed direct input on a committee that is writing future law. But the solution to that is provided by trade associations. Mr. Barritt is provided direct influence to the working group that will determine the information provided to consumers on pet food labels under the guise of the Pet Food Institute. Mr. Barritt – a MARS Petcare employee – participates on this significant working group as Mr. Barritt of Pet Food Institute. It’s smoke and mirrors.

Now consumers can begin to see the true pet food regulatory ‘system’…

The regulation of pet food – everything from the laws, the legal definitions of ingredients, the enforcement of law – is caught up in this circle. It’s consumers – and their pets – that are stuck in the middle.

But…it gets worse.

Next we consider another part of the ‘system’.

Veterinarians play a huge role in the ‘system’ as they are the most significant direct access to consumers. Almost 100% of the standard nutritional information provided to veterinarians (initial ‘training’ in veterinary school and ongoing training via AVMA educational events) comes directly from the largest pet food manufacturers. Veterinary schools receive ongoing financial support from the largest manufacturers including funding for pet food research. Veterinary association events also receive funding from the largest pet food manufacturers.

And of course we need to consider the largest retailers of pet food. Note all of the different companies that each of these pet food store chains own…

The largest retailers also have significant reach to consumers. Looking at Petsmart alone, this pet store chain owns 3 online pet food stores, a veterinary website, two adoption/rescue websites and a pet bloggers association. And…very significantly to the regulatory/promotion system of pet food – Petsmart owned Chewy.com is a member of the trade association Pet Food Institute. Which gives the largest retailer of pet food in the US a direct role in the regulatory process.

Now our regulatory/promotion ‘system’ of pet food looks like this, with consumers and pets VERY stuck in the middle.

To summarize…

The largest manufacturers of pet food (US) are regulated by FDA and State Department of Agriculture, BUT…the laws are written by a private corporation that openly allows industry to directly participate in the law making process through trade associations.

The largest manufacturers of pet food donate heavily to the veterinary industry, those same manufacturers provide nutritional training to vets which in turn relay that nutritional information to consumers. Veterinary schools publish scientific papers funded by the largest manufacturers – supporting the system. Veterinary continuing education programs are funded by the largest pet food manufacturers. The largest chain of veterinary clinics is owned by the largest pet food manufacturer.

Some of the largest retailers of pet food host veterinary clinics within their retail stores. Same largest retailers own multiple online pet food retailers and reach consumers through adoption/rescue organizations and blogger organizations. The largest pet food retailer is a member of a trade association provided direct influence to the law making process.

How does this effect consumers?

An unknowing pet food consumer – trying to do a little homework in selecting an appropriate pet food could go through all of these steps…

Consult their vet;

Consult the ‘nutrition expert’ in the pet store chain;

Consult the adoption agency their new pet came from;

Consult a few pet blogger websites;

Consult a veterinary website;

Consult a few veterinary school websites.

And VERY EASILY – this pet owner could be told the exact same information from all of these options; ‘corn is superior nutrition for pets’, ‘by-product meal is healthy and safe’, ‘pet food is THE most regulated industry (doesn’t violate law)’, and on and on. Why? Because all of the resources this pet owner consulted are intricately related – actively working together to promote Pet Feed. And…many of the resources this unknowing pet owner consulted are owned by the same company. Seemingly unrelated individuals and organizations – are actually VERY related.

The adoption website where the new pet was found on is owned by Petsmart, the vet the pet owner consulted was trained by Purina, the pet friendly blogger is trained by MARS Petcare via Petsmart Blog Paws, the veterinary website is funded by all of the largest manufacturers. It’s a vicious circle of pet feed promotion. And because a pet owner is hearing the same information from so many different sources, they believe the information they’ve learned is correct information.

And often – very unfortunately – when unknowing pet owners come across a different opinion on pet food…(because they have been basically programmed by so many other sources)…they have doubt. They don’t believe that corn comes with risk, they don’t believe many pet feeds violate federal law, and this goes on and on and on.

The ‘system’ also proactively works to silence all those that challenge them, causing more doubt in the minds of unknowing consumers. Just a few examples…

You don’t need to change your pet’s diet just because he or she has been diagnosed with cancer, but it is a good time to optimize your pet’s nutrition by ensuring adequate nutrient and calorie intake for overall health.

When the pet food documentary Pet Fooled was released, disclosing some of the secrets of the industry, again – the ‘system’ took aim at the film. One of the many attackers was Dr. Sarah Wooten who condemned the film, and bashed veterinarians Dr. Karen Becker and Dr. Barbara Royal featured in the film (and raw pet food) in a post on DVM360.com titled “Hey doc, have your veterinary clients been fooled by this doc(umentary)?”

And me personally…when I wrote a post based on factual information received from Missouri Department of Agriculture about a MARS Petcare facility formerly located in the state – another member of the system took aim at me and kicked me out of AAFCO.

Personal Perspective: I personally do not support (buy anything from) any member of the ‘system’. I personally do not purchase pet food from a manufacturer that is a member of the Pet Food Institute or American Feed Industry Association or National Grain and Feed Association. I do not purchase products online and/or from any of the system major retailers. I choose a veterinarian that is holistic and actively supports food over feed for pets. I only support pet food businesses that do NOT participate in the system. My one exception, I do support the ‘system’ when I attend AAFCO meetings, but I have to go and provide consumers a voice.

The current ‘system’ is not in the best interest of pets (and their people) – the current system is in the best interest of big industry. Just as Kansas Department of Agriculture stated regarding their Agriculture Marketing program…the current pet food system “facilitates growth and expansion” in pet feed.

But don’t be too discouraged. We that believe in pet ‘food’ – real food – are piece by piece building a better system. A system of educated consumers, quality minded manufacturers, trade associations that only represent pet ‘foods’, holistic veterinarians, and pet stores that learn and share science with consumers (not marketing hype). Out with the old and in with the new.

Become a member of our pet food consumer Association. Association for Truth in Pet Food is a a stakeholder organization representing the voice of pet food consumers at AAFCO and with FDA. Your membership helps representatives attend meetings and voice consumer concerns with regulatory authorities. Click Here to learn more.

Sorry, hit the wrong button: I watched the recent documentary on line called The Truth About Pet Cancer. OMG it was an eye-opener. It addressed many of the things you mentioned in your article; plus had testimony from mostly Holistic Veterinarians.

It’s so overwhelming, I don’t know how you can sort through it all. but the circles explain how deep they’re all intertwined. And changing things will be an uphill battle. But you already know that. I applaud your persistence.

Great concise explanation of the entire sorry sordid pet feed system! I have several cat owner friends who practically worship Chewy.com. I had no idea Chewy was owned by Petsmart! I’ll be sure to let them know, and point them at this article.

Susan, and to all that reads this,
Jordan Maxwell said “The world doesn’t work the way we think it works.)
I’ve been doing research into the inner workings of our government, laws, corporate industries including the medical field,pet food industry etc etc. there is a darker force at work here a deception so vast that nobody would believe it even if it was revealed to the public. We have been so programmed with useless disinformation that people believe Things that were once good are now bad. The powers that be have got theirs fingers in every piece of the pie and it’s disgusting.
As I continue to delve deeper into this world we think we live in, I have to say with all honesty…
The world doesn’t work they way we think it works.
And if the people of this world don’t wake up sooner rather than later we’ll we are going to be in more trouble than we think.
For the sake of our pets and everything good that is still left in this world I hope that more people with the passion, determination, will come forward like you have Susan, things can get better.
Thank you again for all that you do to get the message out.

The relationship between the manufacturer and consumer is an adversarial one, abetted by our own government, and with AAFCO as a bridge to “Provide a level playing field of orderly commerce for the animal feed industry.”

And what else can the consumer thus expect, when a company like Mars Inc. holds a patent (US 7,575,771 B2) for a procedure to process offal (dictionary definition: “garbage/refuse/rubbish” and: “waste or by-product”) into pet food.

Remember that when consumers found stiff plastic shards (“wires”) in Pedigree (10.9% of the market!) Mars closed out the controversy in its statement that “… natural fibers from meat and bone meal, like pig hair… is completely safe for your dog to enjoy.”

As if “Meat and bone meal” (so-called because it is from un-named animals) was something better than among the lowest quality ingredients that can be in a dog food.

Mars may define ingredient sourcing different than many consumers would expect—or, that federal law defines—declaring that dogs should actually PREFER “garbage”: “By-products are the clean, internal organs, including liver, lungs, intestine, etc. In fact, when eating in the wild, dogs naturally gravitate toward the internal organs as their first choice of food. One reason may be because organ meats are a more highly concentrated source of essential nutrients, as compared to muscle tissues (meat), thus providing more nutrition to the dog.” Mars also carefully describes “artificial preservatives” as “essential” and that “filler (ingredients)” are appropriate because they have a “specific purpose” in their products.

So “by-products” are “clean” and “filler(s)” are good as long as they have a “purpose,” which Mars decides upon, not the consumer. A “purpose” that satisfies “Least Cost Mix” protocols is OK, then…

Thank for your work in putting this in a tangible form. It is difficult to understand how this all works but your article helps immensely.
What is really scary is the fact that our modern medical system for people works the same exact way! We are so misled and manipulated so a few at the top may benefit with profit and power.
There were a few surprises in your charts for me. I do use Chewy.com because I live in a very rural area and my choices are very limited. 9-Lives is not on this list anywhere but when I looked at the tiny print on the can label it said “distributed by Big Heart Brands!” 🙁
I have used this for several years to feed barn cats. It is shocking how corrupt the system is when you can see it laid out like you did for us readers.
It is an uphill battle for sure. I don’t think I know hardly anyone who cares about any of this OR feeds their pets species appropriate diets. It is usually an issue of cost and convenience. I do try to talk to anyone who will listen. I actually feed raw diets (cats/dog) other than what I supplement with the 9-LIves.
I watched TTAC’s docu-series on pet cancer as well. Awesome series chock full of information that every pet owner should know.

Thank you Susan for your exceptional research on the depth of corruption and the relationships of each entity that was identified in your charts. It is truly overwhelming regarding the extent of commingling of corporations, government and veterinarians and the lack of regulations to prevent this from occurring in the first place. Hopefully the public will become educated and have higher expectations and stop the “collusion” of corporations and the government.

Just to clarify the parent companies…
Nestle was acquired by Ferraro 01/2018 so Purina is now owned by Ferraro, still a candy company though.
Hill’s Science Diet is owned by Colgate-Palmolive.
Mars Petcare is a subsidiary of Mars Inc,, the candy comoany.